Method and system for collectively tracking demographics of starter drug samples

Abstract

A method and system for collectively tracking demographics of physician (12,14) prescribed starter drug samples dispensed to a plurality of patients (18,20) from a plurality of different dispensing locations (38,40) employs a multipart product specific sample drug voucher, such as a smart card (100) or a preprinted two part voucher (102), which has a marketing information portion (30,34) and a separable prescription portion (32,36) to be completed by the prescribing physician with starter drug sample quantity and dosage information along with patient demographic information. The prescription portion (32,36) is segregated from the marketing information portion (30,34) at the pharmacy (38,40) either electronically by a card reader (112), if it had been encoded on a smart card (100) by the physician (12,14), or physically by separation along a perforation (50), if recorded on a two part voucher (102), and is electronically retreivably stored in the pharmacy computer (130) from where this tracking information is electronically transmitted to a central remote computer (134), such as at the drug manufacturer, for subsequent rapid market analysis (136).

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for collectively tracking demographics of starter drug samples dispensed to a plurality of patients from a plurality of different dispensing locations, said dispensed starter drug samples being prescribed by a plurality of physicians at a plurality of different prescription locations, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a multipart product specific sample drug voucher for use by each of said plurality of physicians at said prescription locations for prescribing said starter drug sample for a given patient in said plurality of patients at one of said prescription locations, said multipart drug voucher comprising a first portion containing marketing information for advertising a starter drug sample to be prescribed to said given patient by the physician at said one prescription location and a second portion comprising a variable drug prescription for said advertised starter drug sample to be completed by the physician for prescribing a variable starter drug sample quantity and dosage for said advertised starter drug sample for said given patient, said variable drug prescription second portion being separable from said marketing information first portion for enabling said prescribed starter drug sample to be dispensed in accordance therewith by a pharmacist at one of said plurality of dispensing locations in accordance with said completed drug prescription second portion;   (b) completing said drug prescription second portion at said one prescription location, said prescription locations being remote from said dispensing locations, said completed drug prescription second portion comprising said variable starter drug sample quantity and dosage and patient demographic information for said given patient;   (c) separating said completed drug prescription second portion from said marketing information first portion for providing said completed drug prescription second portion to the pharmacist at said one location for dispensing of said prescribed drug sample at said one dispensing location in accordance with said variable starter drug sample quantity and dosage contained on said separated completed drug prescription second portion;   (d) electronically retrieving and storing the patient demographic and sample quantity and dosage information at each of said plurality of dispensing locations from each of said separated completed drug prescription second portions for providing tracking information for said dispensed prescribed starter drug samples; and   (e) electronically transmitting said tracking information from each of said plurality of dispensing locations to a common remote collection location for collective market analysis of said transmitted tracking information; whereby the dispensing of advertised starter drug samples provided to said plurality of patients at diverse locations under the direction of the physician for each of said patients may be rapidly tracked and analyzed.   
     
     
       2. A method for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 1 wherein said completing step comprises the step of electronically recording said patient demographic and variable starter quantity and dosage information. 
     
     
       3. A method for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 2 wherein said retrieving and storing step comprises the step of retrieving and storing said electronically recorded information. 
     
     
       4. A method for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 3 wherein said drug voucher comprises electronic storage media capable of electronically recording said electronically recorded information, said retrieving step comprising the step of retrieving said electronically recorded information from said electronic storage media. 
     
     
       5. A method for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 4 wherein said electronic storage media comprises a digital information storage media, said electronic recording comprising digital recording, said recorded information being in a digital format. 
     
     
       6. A method for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second portions of said drug voucher are initially secured to each other along a perforated portion, said separating step comprising the step of detaching said completed drug prescription second portion from said marketing information first portion along said perforated portion for providing said separated completed drug prescription second portion. 
     
     
       7. A system for collectively tracking demographics of starter drug samples dispensed to a plurality of patients from a plurality of different dispensing locations, said dispensed starter drug samples being prescribed by a plurality of physicians at a plurality of different prescription locations, said system comprising a multipart product specific sample drug voucher capable of use by each of said plurality of physicians at said prescription locations for prescribing said starter drug sample for a given patient in said plurality of patients at one of said prescription locations,, said multipart drug voucher comprising a first portion containing marketing information for advertising a starter drug sample to be prescribed to said given patient by the physician at said one prescription location and a second portion comprising a variable drug prescription for said advertised starter drug sample dependent on a variable starter sample quantity and dosage determined by the physician for said given patient and patient demographic information for said given patient, said variable drug prescription second portion being separable from said marketing information first portion for enabling said prescribed starter drug sample to be dispensed in accordance therewith by a pharmacist at one of said plurality of dispensing locations in accordance with said completed drug prescription second portion; means for electronically retrievably storing the patient demographic and sample quantity and dosage information at each of said plurality of dispensing locations from each of said separated drug prescription second portions for providing tracking information for said dispensed prescribed starter drug samples and for electronically transmitting said retreivably stored tracking information to a common remote collection location from each of said plurality of dispensing locations; and means for collectively processing said transmitted tracking information at said remote collection location for providing a collective market analysis of said tracking information; whereby the dispensing of advertised starter drug samples provided to said plurality of patients at diverse locations under the direction of the physician for each of said patients may be rapidly tracked and analyzed. 
     
     
       8. A system for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 7 wherein said drug voucher comprises electronic storage media capable of retrievably storing said patient demographic and variable starter quantity and dosage information. 
     
     
       9. A system for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 8 wherein said electronic storage media comprises digital information storage media, said retrievably stored information being in a digital format. 
     
     
       10. A system for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 7 wherein said first and second portions of said drug voucher are initially secured to each other along a perforated portion, said marketing information first portion and said drug prescription second portion being separable along said perforated portion for providing said separated drug prescription second portion. 
     
     
       11. A system for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 7 wherein said variable drug prescription second portion comprises means for enabling the physician to variably insert the starter quantity and dosage for said given patient at said one prescription location. 
     
     
       12. A system for tracking demographics of dispensed drug samples in accordance with claim 11 wherein said drug voucher comprises a smart card.